Indonesia grabbed global headlines in 2015 by executing 14 drug crimes prisoners during the first half of the year. It was a surprise because over the past three decades Indonesia in average has only two executions per year, and only executed seven drug crimes prisoners during the period. Adding to the surprise, this escalation was enacted by a new president, Joko Widodo, whom few had predicted would be a strong supporter of death penalty. The death penalty also garnered foreign attention since 12 of the 14 drug crimes prisoners being executed were foreign nationals. Therefore, the implementation of death penalties for drug crimes against foreign nationals in Indonesia in 2015 faced harsh critiques, particularly in cases where foreign nationals were threatened with execution. It has raised some problems for Indonesia, particularly in the issues of clemency and the diplomatic relations at stake with countries whose citizens were sentenced to death. Foreign governments launched efforts to save their citizens from being executed. Nevertheless, Indonesia insisted on implementing the death penalties and executions in drug crimes. President Joko Widodo said the country‟s stance on the death penalty for drug crimes is firm. This study documented the perspectives and reasons behind the decision to keep on implementing death penalty and execution against foreign nationals who committed drug crimes in Indonesia. This study also noted the diplomatic responses to pressures from foreign countries.

Keyword: death penalty, drug crimes, diplomacy, pressures